3 Rules for Recruiting During A Holiday

3 Rules for Recruiting During A Holiday

The holiday season is among us and we’re always asked by our clients how difficult will it be to bring on someone ASAP. Instead of giving them the standard “it depends” answer, I want to share with you the top considerations for successful recruiting over a holiday period.

1. No Such Thing As Standard Holiday Hours:

Employees take off before, during or after the holidays. Some take off the entire 2-week period while others work half-days. Keep in mind that unless the are hot to leave their current employment, a recruitment call is the last thing on their list and they have less time to get their work done. This means a return email or phone call might not happen too quickly. I suggest trying multiple communication channels and stay persistent. Use email, social media private messages, and of course calling them on the phone. Not getting a reply could just mean that you’re not top of their list.

2. Set Realistic Start Date:

If you think you’re going to find someone, have them go through several interviews, give an offer, get an acceptance and have them begin within 3 weeks then you’re being extremely optimistic. The holidays slow everything down. It’s hard enough to arrange your team to get the first phone calls covered let alone having everyone there for an onsite. Couple that with the candidate’s time constraints and it’s a recipe for a delay. January start dates are often forced into February start dates, so keep that in mind when starting your process.

3. Respect the Bonus:

The higher level the position, likely the higher the bonus. Candidates that are accustomed to a bonus will want to wait till they receive their bonus before making a move. An option, if you’re desperate or really like the candidate, is to offer them a bonus similar to their past year’s bonus (I would consider asking them for their W-2 as that will avoid exaggerations).

Hopefully, these items help you see the challenges of recruiting, interviewing and hiring over the holidays. We have been successful in our recruitment over the holidays, but it takes attention to details and a careful approach to pull it off without missed deadlines. Have a great holiday season and let us know if we can help you with your company’s recruiting efforts!